Red Hot ~Nikki Sixx

Part 43: Blindside

Just as she was jumping the line from worried to fed up she heard muffled voices and loud footsteps in the hallway, followed by the opening and heavy shutting of doors.  The stampede-like ruckus that made the floors shake could only mean one of two things. Either North Carolina was having its very first earthquake in the history of the state, or the Terror Twins and their entourage had arrived.

As she slipped on a pair of navy blue sweat pants and one of Nikki's black t-shirts Ashten couldn't help but notice the knowledge of his presence wasn't quite the relief she'd been hoping for. Instead, a feeling of disconcert ran through her as she exited her room and crossed the hall, using the spare copy of the key card to Nikki's room she always had to open his door.

The room was dimly lit by a single lamp on the nightstand and as she walked in the smell of sulfur from a recently lit match caught her nose. Immediately followed by the scent of cigarette smoke, leather, and whiskey.

Nikki sat across the room at the table, his chair against the wall and his hand wrapped around a three quarters empty Jack Daniels bottle.

She was so glad to see him back and all she wanted was to curl up in his lap and listen to him tell her everything was ok. But she didn't because the look in his eyes screamed that all was not as kosher as she'd hoped.

He watched in silence, squinting slightly and studying her, as she silently padded closer to him and took a seat on the edge of his bed.

"Why hello, darling," he said cooly with no affection or endearment as he brought his cigarette to his mouth, the cherry on the end illuminating as he puffed.

"Hey," she responded in a tired voice, her eyes stuck on the bottle of liquor. Ever since his last stint in rehab Nikki had always made a point to be extremely cautious about drinking. He'd have one or two socially but never alone. And never straight from the bottle.

"Want a drink?" He held up the bottle to her when his eyes followed her gaze.

"No thanks."

"Wanna quit staring at mine, then?"

She cut her eyes back to his, slightly taken aback at his shortness. "Tell me you're fine and I won't say a word about it." 

"Fine." He repeated, his face twisting into a menacing smirk and torso slightly jerking as if he were silently laughing. "Define fine."

Although unsure of what to say, Ashten opened her mouth to reply only to be cut off before getting out a sound.

"You know I didn't really think anything would get my mind off of Donna and her ploy to take my daughter away from me, but you...." he let out a snide laugh and took a pull from the bottle then pointed at her, "you fucking nailed it, babe."

"Glad I could help?" She knitted her eyebrows together in slight confusion and stood reaching over to grab his cigarettes, taking one for herself. She nodded a thanks to him when he flipped his zippo to offer a flame.

Ashten took a drag and exhaled deeply.  The silence around them was becoming thicker than molasses but not nearly as sweet. "You want to talk about it?"

Nikki took another drag from his cigarette and inhaled sharply. "Sometimes talk is overrated as a means of resolving disputes."

"Is there a dispute?"

"Yeah, I think there is," he snuffed out his cigarette and sat back in his chair, his ankle crossed over his knee.

"About?"

"Let's start with you being pregnant.  Why didn't you tell me?" Nikki's smirk faded and his green eyes held anger and hurt strong enough to pierce her skin.